On his arrival at Perth also, the Chevalier first found the want of money, which has been well called the sinews of war. When he entered that town, he showed one of his followers that his purse contained only a single guinea of the four hundred pounds which he had brought with him in the Doutelle. But Dundee, Montrose, and all the Lowland towns north of the Tay, as far as Inverness, were now at his command. He proceeded to levy the cess and public revenue in name of his father; and as such of his adherents, who were too old or timid to join the standard, sent in contributions of money according to their ability, his military chest was by these resources tolerably supplied. Parties were sent for this purpose to Dundee, Aberbrothwick, Montrose, and other towns. They proclaimed King James VIII., but committed little violence except opening the prisons; and it is remarkable, that

2

1 ["In the march from Glenfinnan to Perth, Charles gave the chiefs what money they thought was necessary to subsist their men. During their abode at Perth, besides the public money which they levied, it is said that several persons, who afterwards joined them at Edinburgh, came to Perth to visit Charles, and furnish him with some money, which made his purse hold out till the rebel army took possession of Edinburgh; and after their arrival there, they had regular pay."-HOME.]

2 ["After our arrival at Perth," says the Journalist," the army was reviewed, and Clanranald, with 150 men, were sent to second Keppoch's enterprise at Dundee, who by wrong information had been told by some gentlemen from that town that he could not effectuat any thing there without a greater force. We sett out from Perth about midnight, and marched so quick that we reached Dundee by daybreak. Being masters of the town, we seized two vessells with arms and ammunition, which we sent further up the river Tay towards Perth; we likewise took up some public money here, liberated some prisoners, and proclaim

even in my own time, a chieftain of high rank had to pay a large sum of money on account of his ancestors having set at liberty a prisoner who was detained for a considerable amount of debt.

It was no less necessary to brigade the men assembled under this adventurous standard. This was, however, easily done, for the Highlanders were familar with a species of manoeuvring exactly suited to their own irregular tactics. They marched in a column of three abreast, and could wheel up with prompt regularity, in order to form the line, or rather succession of clan columns, in which it was their fashion to charge. They were accustomed also to carry their arms with habitual ease, and handle them with ready promptitude; to fire with a precise aim, and to charge with vigour, trusting to their national weapons, the broadsword and target, with which the first rank of every clan, being generally gentlemen, was completely armed. They were, therefore, as well prepared for the day of battle as could be expected from them; and as there was no time to instruct them in more refined manœuvres, Lord George Murray judiciously recommended to the Prince to trust to those which seemed naturally their own. Some modelling and discipline was, however, resorted to, so far as the short interval would permit.

The time which Charles Edward could allot to

ed the P. R-g-t."-LOCKHART Papers, vol. ii. p. 486. The two vessels must have been poorly laden if they ever did reach Perth, as the insurgents continued only half-armed, till after the battle of Preston.]

supply his finances, arrange the campaign, and discipline his army, was only from the 4th to the 11th of September; for he had already adopted the daring resolution to give eclat to his arms, by taking possession of the Scottish capital, and was eager to advance upon it ere Sir John Cope could with his forces return from the north for its defence.

LETTER FROM LORD LOVAT TO THE LAIRD OF LOCHIEL.

[This letter is expressed with so much display of character, as might excite a suspicion that it is an imitation of what Lovat might be supposed to think on the occasion, rather than a genuine document. I have seen the original, however, and compared it with Lovat's undoubted handwriting, and it bears no other difference than an appearance of compression and tremulousness natural at his advanced age.]

"FOR

"THE LAIRD OF LOCHIEL.

"THESE,

"Sept. 1745.

"DEAR LOCHIEL,

"I FEAR you have been our rash in going out ere affairs were ripe. You are in a dangerous state. The Elector's General Cope is in your rear hanging at yr tail wh 3000 men,-such as have not been seen heir since Dundee's affair,-and we have no force to meet him. If the Macphersons wd take the field, I wd bring out my lads to help the work, and 'twixt the twa we might cause Cope keep his Xmas heir; bot only Cluny is earnest in the cause, and my Lord Advocat plays at cat-and-mouse wh me; but times may change, and I may bring him to the Saint Johnstoun's tippet. Meantime look to yrselves, for ye may expect many a sour face and sharp weapon in the south. I'll aid you what I can, but my prayers are all I can give at present. My service to the Prince, but I wish he had not come heir soe empty-handed; siller wd go far in the Highlands. I send ys be Ewan Ffraser, wm I have charged to give it to yr self, for, were Duncan to find it, it wd be my head to an onion.

"Farewell,
"Yr faithfull friend,

"LOVAT."

VOL. XXVI.

H

CHAPTER LXXVII.

Preparations for Defending Edinburgh against Prince Charles, who Marches from Perth— Confusion occasioned by his Approach to Edinburgh-Pusillanimity of the Volunteers-Flight of two Regiments of Dragoons by which the City was Covered― Consternation of the Citizens -Negotiations between the Magistrates and the Prince— The City Captured by a Party under Lochiel-Prince Charles takes possession of the Palace of Holyrood-Appearance of his Army-he is Joined by the Jacobites of

the Lothians.

[1745.]

EDINBURGH had long been a peaceful capital; little accustomed to the din of arms, and considerably divided by factions, as was the case of other towns in Scotland. The rumours from the Highlands had sounded like distant thunder during a serene day, for no one seemed disposed to give credit to the danger as seriously approaching. The unexpected intelligence, that General Cope had marched to Inverness, and left the metropolis in a great measure to its own resources, excited a very different and more deep sensation, which actuated the inhabitants variously, according to their political sentiments. The Jacobites, who were in considerable numbers, hid their swelling hopes under the cover of ridicule and irony, with which they